What is neck pain?
Neck pain is a common complaint among patients. Pain may occur due to poor posture, perhaps from hunching your shoulders to work on your computer. It may also occur following an injury, condition, or disease. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of neck and back pain.
For patients who suffer from chronic neck pain or injuries, Advanced Sports & Spine offers customized neck pain treatment in the Charlotte area. We utilize an integrative, holistic approach to pain management that includes non-surgical, non-opioid treatments.
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Trauma to the neck
Neck pain is common. Problems can arise due to damage, stress, or injury to the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves within the neck. Pain may also stem from the shoulders, arms, or head.
Neck strain is a common source of discomfort. This can occur from overuse, overstretching during exercise, poor posture, and even sleeping in the wrong position. Falls, accidents, and injuries such as whiplash can cause pain as well. Treatment for neck injuries depends on the cause and severity of the problem.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT NOWNeck pain is a common complaint that may be caused by overuse, poor posture, injury, or an underlying condition.
Your day-to-day job or exercise routines could be straining your muscles. Hunching over a workbench, slouching at your desk, and staring at a computer for long periods of time puts stress on your neck. These injuries rarely require invasive procedures.
Most minor muscle strains heal on their own with time, over-the-counter pain relievers, ice, and improved posture. Maintain good posture to prevent neck problems and discomfort throughout your neck and shoulders.
Arthritis is a common cause of neck and back pain. As a degenerative disease, osteoarthritis causes the cartilage to break down. Cartilage is responsible for cushioning and protecting the joints. As it breaks down, the result is swelling and pain.
Osteoarthritis can develop with age or following an injury. Genetic factors may also increase the risk of this disease.
Nerves extend from your brain and spinal cord to send signals throughout your body. A pinched or compressed nerve may cause warning signals of pain in your neck. The injury could be minor or severe, temporary or long-lasting, but the pain should not be ignored. The earlier the problem is addressed, the more quickly you will experience neck pain relief.
The occipital nerves run from the upper neck into the scalp. When they are irritated, they can cause sharp, shooting or electric pain that starts at the base of the skull and spreads over the back of the head. It is often linked to tight neck muscles, arthritis or a past neck injury such as whiplash.
An occipital nerve block is one treatment option for this type of nerve pain.
Disc problems are commonly referred to as bulging, slipped, or herniated discs, but the problems are not the same. A bulging disc is often age-related and occurs when the soft content inside the disc dries up. The content then becomes compressed and pushes out causing pain and affecting the nerves of the spine. A herniated disc results when that soft content pushes out through a tear in the disc.
Accidents, specifically car accidents, are often the cause of whiplash. In these incidents, the body is forcefully thrown forward and back causing the neck and head to snap like a whip. This leads to neck pain, stiffness, loss of range of motion, tingling, numbness, and fatigue. Whiplash often heals without the need for medical interventions, but custom treatment plans can be created for lingering pain.
Fibromyalgia is a common, chronic condition that causes pain throughout the body. While the symptoms are often confused with arthritis, fibromyalgia does not cause joint inflammation or damage as arthritis does. Instead, this condition causes soft tissue pain.
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown but traumatic injuries, genetic factors, and autoimmune disorders may increase the risk of this condition. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be managed with pain treatments, medications, and exercise.
Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal spaces narrow. This puts pressure on the nerves traveling through your spine. The problem can occur anywhere along the spinal column, but it often appears in the neck or lower back.
Symptoms of spinal stenosis include neck pain, tingling sensations, numbness, weakness, and loss of function in the hands. Medical treatments may be necessary and will be customized based on the depth of the disease.
About Treatments for Neck Pain
At our offices in Charlotte, Huntersville and Fort Mill, we offer several different options for treating neck pain. Regenerative medicine, such as PRP therapy and stem cell therapy, along with interventional spinal injections, radiofrequency ablation, and trigger point injections are just a few of the treatments we offer to help reduce neck pain.
Exercises are a great way to strengthen and support your neck and body. A combination of exercises and treatments may be necessary to fully relieve your neck pain or treat your injury.
It is always a good idea to discuss your exercise plans with your doctor before starting them on your own to avoid further damaging your neck. As always, avoid exercises and movements that increase your pain. Our team can assess the cause of your neck pain and recommend the appropriate exercises and treatment for your needs.
Many sources of neck pain will resolve on their own in a short time. However, lingering pain should be evaluated. If you have serious or chronic neck pain that affects your quality of life, contact a health professional. One of our board-certified physiatrists can evaluate your symptoms to find the root cause of your neck pain.
Neck pain may represent various issues from minor to severe with a range of causes from poor posture to traumatic injuries or underlying diseases. Mild discomfort or inflammation may resolve with rest and at-home treatment. More serious injuries or degenerative diseases require medical intervention to treat the condition and relieve your neck pain.
Without knowing the exact cause of your pain, it is hard to say if the pain will resolve on its own. Contact a pain management specialist for medical advice and to evaluate and treat your neck pain, especially if the pain is severe or does not resolve on its own.
Any neck injury has the potential to be serious and pain can be a warning sign of a larger issue. If your neck pain is severe or does not go away with rest and at-home measures such as over-the-counter pain relief, ice, or heat, it is time to contact a physician. An evaluation is necessary to determine the source and severity of your neck pain.
Our joints wear down with age, wear and tear, and injuries. Protecting and strengthening your joints are a great way to keep them healthy.
To keep your neck healthy, it is crucial to maintain good posture. Avoid slouching or slumping as it is hard on your spine. Exercise regularly, stretch, and strengthen your core which helps support the spine.
The longevity of your neck pain depends on the actual cause. Acute pain from a minor injury may last a few days to a couple of weeks and may resolve with at-home treatment. More serious injuries or conditions may require medical interventions and rehabilitation to relieve your pain. Treatments, exercises, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes may help relieve your pain once the source is determined.
Finding the right neck pain treatment requires determining the cause of the pain. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation. Once the root of your pain is known, we can devise a custom treatment plan to relieve your neck pain.
